“That has always been your problem, Marco. You listened but you never really heard me and that was your greatest mistake… underestimating me. Luca is so much more like me. He understands my need for power. He respects my wisdom, my foresight in taking The Commission to new levels you could never comprehend.”
“I always acted on all your suggestions. I never denied you the position of power you had as the wife of one of the most feared Mafia bosses in the country. You know that, Isabella!”
“You are so delusional, Marco and that, right there, what you just said, proves my point. I never had the desire to be known as yourdutiful wife, begging for a little recognition.Iwas the reason you became a feared Mafia boss, Marco. It was because ofME!” She laughed and shook her head. “Did you honestly believe I didn’t have the ambition to be anything other than that? That I would forever be in the shadows guiding your supposed wisdom and decisions everyone praised you for while I was the one they should’ve honored and… feared. Not you, the mighty Marco Boneiro.Neveryou!”
“You’re out of your mind if you believe for one moment the crime syndicates and Mafia families would yield to a woman. Why do you think I went out of my way to protect you every time you opened your mouth and was ridiculed by The Commission leaders? Because women don’t belong in our world, Isabella. You are and always will only be known as the wife of Marco Boneiro. Never forget that.”
“Really? I believe you’re in for a huge surprise, my dear. Luca knows my strengths much better than you do. I made sure of it over the years. I taught him well to help plant the seeds of your destruction. It was so rewarding to watch him grow and set into place a plan to oust you.” She tapped her long red painted fingernails on the arm of the chair. “Didn’t you hear? Oh, sorry, I guess you haven’t since you have no access to any outside news. You should really be proud of your son, Marco, especially now that he has been honored and accepted by all the families across the globe as theIl Capo di Tutti Capi nel Mondo.”
“No! They will never accept him. He’s too young. You’re lying!” Marco yanked on the chain but couldn’t budge it. Fury exploded inside him. “You bitch! You planned this. I didn’t want to believe it but—”
“Of course! I’ve been planning this foryears. Call it a coup if you wish... and do you know why? Because I finally realized that you would never honor the pact we made the day Paul Castellano recruited you as a made man into the Mafia.”
She tilted her head sideways.
“Do you remember what it was, Marco?”
Marco pressed his lips together. His rage knew no bounds but he was helpless to act on it.
“You promised that once you reached the top, I would rule by your side. That we would be known as The Commission’s power couple, bound together not only by love but by the honor we had for each other.”
Isabella smoothed her dress over her thighs as she got up and approached him. She stopped just out of reach. She smiled as she witnessed the recognition of defeat — it was there in the slight drop in the air temperature and the descent of absolute silence.
She leaned closer and spat angrily, “You slashed at me with betrayal all those years ago. Now, dear husband, it’s time for me to parry with my vengeance.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“Our son, Angelo.”
Marco’s body turned to stone. His eyes flickered as a sadness flashed over his face.
Isabella laughed as she witnessed his silent suffering.
“You had one thing to do then, Marco. Just one… making sure the little shit was dead so that we could concentrate on our success as the power couple instead of wasting time on trying to reform him to become like you.Youfailed.”
“I didn’t fail! I had to watch my boy, my firstborn, surrounded by killer sharks as I sped off…” His voice cracked as a lone tear trickled over his cheek. “I left him there, the boy I loved with every fiber of my body… to be ripped apart and killed becauseyoudeemed it was necessary. You, Isabellamademe kill my own child!”
This time her laugh cut through his soul like a rapier, tearing through the fabric of disbelief.
“But you didn’t, Marco.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Did you see him die? Did you do as I instructed and watch him die? Well? Did you?”
“No… I couldn’t. I just…”
“Yeah, just more proof that you’re a weakling. Well, here’s the newsflash, Marco. Angelo didn’t die. He survived. More than that, he became the man you’ve been running from for the past eight years.”
“You’re lying! There’s no way he could’ve survived.”
“But he did. I know... because I saw him and the moment I touched him, I recognized him as my son.”
“No! It can’t be!”
“But it is, Marco. The man responsible for you being behind bars, the Commander of The Cobras, Jared Bates, is none other than our son, Angelo.”
No! NO! NO!”